115342: Du’aa’ asking to attain the attributes of the Prophets

What is the ruling on du’aa’ asking to attain the attributes of the Prophets, such as saying ‘O Allaah, grant me the patience of Ayyoob and the wisdom of Yoosuf’ and so on?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Asking Allaah to grant the attributes of the Prophets may be
divided into two categories:

1.

Du’aa’ asking for the miracles or virtues for which Allaah
singled them out, such as asking one's Lord to give one the sovereignty of
Sulaymaan, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “He said: ‘My
Lord! Forgive me, and bestow upon me a kingdom such as shall not belong to
any other after me. Verily, You are the Bestower’” [Saad 38:35]; or
asking Allaah for a miracle that can only be given to a Prophet, such as the
miracle of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) who was born without a father, or
asking Allaah for the status of al-waseelah in Paradise, as the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: “Then ask Allaah to grant
me al-waseelah, for it is a station in Paradise which only one of the slaves
of Allaah will attain, and I hope that I will be the one” (narrated by
Muslim, no. 384).”

The ruling on this type of du’aa’ is that it is forbidden and
is not allowed, because it is obviously overstepping the mark, because in it
a person is asking for that which it is not permissible to him to ask for.

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mughaffal (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace
of Allaah be upon him) say: “There will be among this ummah people who
overstep the mark in purification and supplication.”

Narrated by Abu Dawood (96) and classed as saheeh by Ibn
Hajar in al-Talkhees (1/144) and by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi
Dawood.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said:

Overstepping the mark in supplication means asking for
something that the Lord will not do, such as asking Him for the status of
the Prophets when he is not one of them, or asking for forgiveness for the
mushrikeen and so on, or asking for that which involves disobedience to
Allaah, such as asking for help in committing disbelief, evildoing and sin.
End quote.

Asking Allaah to help one acquire the attitude of the
Prophets, and to follow their guidance and their example, to adhere to their
way and attain their honourable characteristics, such as patience, wisdom,
compassion and other things which are required of people in the first
place.

We do not think that there is anything wrong with this
supplication, although it is better for the Muslim to follow the high
example of the Prophets and Messengers in their worship, attitude, piety and
devotion to Allaah. The Qur’aan is full of encouragement to follow in their
footsteps in all matters, to take them as an example, to seek to acquire
their characteristics and to imitate their actions. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“They are those whom Allaah had guided. So follow their
guidance”

[al-An’aam 6:90]

“Therefore be patient (O Muhammad
صلى الله عليه وسلم) as did the
Messengers of strong will”

[al-Ahqaaf 46:35].

If a person calls upon his Lord as he has been commanded and
is required to do, and asks Allaah to give him what He gave the Prophets of
good attitudes, deeds and words, and to help him as He helped them to be
patient in obeying Him or refraining from sin, to be wise in calling, to be
kind to people, to be steadfast and to have peace of mind, if he asks for
all of that, he will be rewarded in sha Allaah for his supplication, and
there is the hope that Allaah will grant him his request.

But we have some reservations about asking to be like them,
such as asking for the patience of Yoosuf, or the understanding and wisdom
of Sulaymaan… We are afraid that this request may come under the heading of
overstepping the mark in supplication, especially if he starts to ask for
the best quality by which each of the Prophets was distinct from the others,
such as the understanding of Sulaymaan, the patience of Ayyoob and the
weeping of Dawood, and he begins to ask for them all in his du’aa’, because
combining the different virtues by which each Prophet was distinguished, and
for which Allaah praised them, in one ordinary person is not possible.

What we advise is to adhere to the supplications which are
narrated and proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon
him), or narrated from his noble Companions, or known from the imams and
scholars. Otherwise, then he may pray for himself for what he wants in this
world and in the Hereafter, whilst striving to observe proper etiquette in
supplication and seeking out the times when a response is most likely.

As for the made up supplications which people circulate in
text messages and the like, how often people hasten to spread them, then it
becomes apparent that they contain inappropriate material such as
overstepping the mark in supplication or going against the Sunnah and proper
etiquette.